The Hills Are Alive with the Sound of Merengue

​In the final and most epic installment of November's weekend adventures, eight of us plus a 1 yr. old escaped to the mountains of Constanza for Thanksgiving. It's an agricultural paradise - terraced hillsides, greenhouses, and billboards for seed and pesticides everywhere - that could have been Switzerland if the mountains in the background were taller and snowcapped...and we didn't hear the occasional moto whizzing by. This time of year, nighttime lows are in the high 50s. We headed out of the city on Wednesday and made a beeline for the double waterfalls of Aguas Blancas after dropping our gear at our 4-bedroom rental house. 

The Cerro Alto contingent (sans honorary member Ashley), L to R: Josh, Abby, me, and Aaron. 

Headed back toward town, the "Divino Niño" was only an 18-minute detour. 

It's Jesus, but somehow this still reeks of idolatry.

Our front yard for the next three nights. 

Even the shower in the bedroom I shared with Abby and Ashley had a view. 

After an adventuresome start, the remainder of the long holiday weekend was marked by walking the loop trail around the house, playing cards, watching Christmas movies, building fires in the fireplace, reading, and taking turns in the kitchen...all while wearing sweatshirts and wrapped in blankets, for many of us. 

I'd signed up for breakfast on Thanksgiving Day and then got to watch the Macy's parade for the first time since I've lived abroad.

Our feast with all the trimmings came together around 3 that afternoon. 

Goodbye, crew! It's been fun! L to R: Dillon (Kelsey's coworker); Franco, Kelsey, and Anza; Aaron, Ashley, Abby, Josh & I. 

Special shoutout to my pastor's family, the Fritzlers, for talking up the area so much that I had to go check it out sometime. I'll be savoring the memories of precious time with these lovely humans for at least as long as I'll savor the homemade strawberry preserves I bought at a roadside stand on the way home. 

Until next time, blessings in Christ!